A scroll compressor is a certain type of compressor that is used to compress refrigerant for such applications as refrigeration, air conditioning, industrial cooling and freezer applications, and/or other applications where compressed fluid may be used. Such prior scroll compressors are known, for example, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,530 to Hasemann; U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,551, to Kammhoff et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,070 to Kammhoff et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,112,046 to Kammhoff et al., all of which are assigned to a Bitzer entity closely related to the present assignee. As the present disclosure pertains to improvements that can be implemented in these or other scroll compressor designs, the entire disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,398,530; 7,112,046; 6,814,551; and 6,960,070 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
As is exemplified by these patents, scroll compressors conventionally include an outer housing having a scroll compressor contained therein. A scroll compressor includes fixed and moveable scroll compressor members. A first compressor member is typically arranged stationary and fixed in the outer housing. A second scroll compressor member is moveable relative to the first scroll compressor member in order to compress refrigerant between respective scroll ribs which rise above the respective bases and engage in one another. Conventionally the moveable scroll compressor member is driven about an orbital path about a central axis for the purposes of compressing refrigerant. An appropriate drive unit, typically an electric motor, is provided usually within the same housing to drive the moveable scroll member.
One of the common approaches for preventing relative rotation or movement between the scroll members as they orbit relative to each other is through the use of what is commonly referred to as an “Oldham coupling”. As exemplified by the patents referenced herein, an Oldham coupling typically includes a ring structure that has two sets of keys. One set of keys slides in one linear direction on a surface of the orbiting scroll compressor body while the other set of keys slides at right angles on a fixed surface such as along the fixed scroll compressor body as illustrated but not numbered in the '551 patent (see also the Oldham key coupling at 90 in the '530 patent). For one of the set of keys, the orbiting scroll compressor body will commonly employ two slots spaced 180° apart in separate quadrants defined by the mutually perpendicular axes as for example is illustrated in FIG. 10. Such slots receive the two keys of the Oldham coupling guiding linear translational movement along one lateral axis. As also shown in FIG. 10, the slots are typically provided for through the provision of outwardly projecting ears. The moveable scroll compressor body slots are positioned in substantial spaced relation from the respective axes so as to provide for carrying moment loads necessary to prevent relative angular movement between the moveable and fixed scroll compressor bodies.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed towards improvements over prior Oldham coupling configurations and scroll compressors incorporating the same.